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2012-09-04 - Oracle's Kryptonian Connection
Kon is flying overhead when he sees something odd happening with the one of the buildings. The lights flicker faster than a normal eye can see, but for Kon, the lights seem to be forming words for a few milliseconds TITANS FREQ 16.2. Sort of like someone was wanting the titan communicator bandwidth to be changed to a certain frequency. But who, and how did they know you were flying where you were flying. Not to mention how did they do that? Conner just barely manages to make out the message, but finds a convenient rooftop and retunes the communciator, hitting a few pirate band radio stations along the way. Stupid Electromagnetic Spectrum. "Hello?" he asks the communicator. Tim might have been able to manage, maybe, but even he's not a good enough detective to know precisely where Superboy was. It does still sort of smell of Gotham, though, subtle isn't really a Metropolis trait. And it's the familiar, artificial, man/woman sounding voice of Oracle. "Oh good, it worked. Was in the electrical grid looking for something, then decided I'd see how you were doing while also testing a little idea I had for contacting super-senses types. Not bad huh? How are you Superboy?" Why didnt she just hack into the Titans communicators directly? Because it's not as much fun. And again, how did she know exactly which building to do that to right as you were flying by it? "I just barely got it," Superboy says, sitting on a rooftop. "Mine aren't quite as good as the rest of the family. Thanks again for letting me borrow your files while I was filling in, btw, helped a lot with that incident that made the news. Oracle smiles at her computer with her headset on. "No problem. Got the clipping on my billboard actually. Very nice work by the way. Maybe you'll be able to return the favor sometime. Oh... hey I heard you've been meeting with that Professor Xavier guy. What do you think of him?" Again, where the heck does she get her information on stuff like that? That actually surprises Conner more than her knowing where he was in Metropolis, probably because there weren't that many visible cameras out towards North Salem. "Seems a little paranoid, but that might just be that universe. Batman level paranoid seems to be the norm over there. And, well, he's trying to protect kids, so I can't really fault him for being cautious. Been meaning to go back out that way to visit, but they want me to call ahead, and, well, I've been busy. Jumping back and forth between the East and West coast isn't as easy as Kara and Kal make it look." "Yeah. I'd like to trust him but I do have misgivings. They have a whole lot of power in that estate and I was sort of leery about why they were so against government regulations, then I read about some of the methods the government in their universe was using when doing so. Sort of understandable though, like Cadmus and the U.S. government with us - except with us they didnt go overboard creating giant robots to round metahumans and heroes up into concentration camps, so I guess that would make me paranoid as well." "Well, moreso than usual at least." "CADMUS wasn't that bad," Conner says. Okay, yeah, his existence is honestly a little shady, but he did work from them voluntarily at one point. "Their side has some weird hangups, about powers," he says with a nod. "One guy on the street started trying to grill me for Superman counter-measures. It was freaking weird. You tell them a guy can fly and they start wondering how to make him crash." Oracle nods. "That's pretty much my concern with many of them though also. There are an awful lot of them being held in check only by their good graces. And a lot more who pretty much see themselves aa a master race. Like the Apokoliptians or Zod or... oh all sorts. Been working overtime to make sure I have countermeasures. Can't even begin to imagine what Batman's been doing with his preparations." She shakes her head. "Plus mind readers give me the heebie jeebies. Trying to get some more ideas on their technology and powers, but moreso their personalities. Paranoia can be good, but it can also be very, very bad it's from someone who's unstable. After you meet with them, mind giving me a heads up on your opinion of them?" "Well, I met one of his students," Conner remarks. "She would not have been out of place in Smallville," he admits. "Honestly, he seemed nice, just... well, paranoid, but stuff's been rough for them lately. I offered to help out if they need me, as a show of good will. Plus, I kind of want to see just how tough these robots are." Oracle nods. "Paranoia's one thing. Pananoia plus powers. Well that gets -my- paranoia going." She pauses. "They're having some problems with some 'super robots' as well. Gave them some information on it but I think this is one of those 'this is our problem to solve' thing, so I'm just doing some basic investigation in case they wind up not being able to handle it on their own. So keep that info under your hat." "And what's this I'm seeing about Kara and Koriand'r mud wrestling? There are like tens of thousands of hits on youtube." "Well, you kind of get people's paranoia going too. Generally, a telepath's at least got to be in the same room to find out everything about you," Conner points out. It took his best friend vouching for Oracle for him to stop being paranoid about her. "And god, that thing... some stupid charity event Roy set up. I probably should never have even gone. I think I let my temper get the best of me towards the end, there." "Well, as far as we know at least. Still going to talk to J'onn to see about methods of countering it. Maybe Richard Dragon about this whole 'no-mind' meditation technique. Wouldnt want to give away people's secret identities just because I'm in the same room as a telepath." Changing subject back to the mud wrestling. "What do you mean you let your temper get the best of you?" What, something Oracle doesn't already know about? Not like she was watching the mud wrestling through the security cameras ... She was busy investigating a Somali Warlord at the time. "Well, when he took them out back to hose them down I... kinda did the 'This looks like a job for' routine, ducked out, showed back up as, well, me, and... splattered him with mud. Got Roy pretty angry, I might have been a little over-protective of Kara... she really had no idea what she'd been agreeing to." Oracle blinks at her computer. "That doesnt sound particularly heroic, Superboy." She takes a sip of her coffee. "You know, she really should learn from her own decisions. Too much overprotectiveness is going to make her start feeling like there's something wrong with her that she needs protecting. The girl's like one of the strongest and invulnerable beings on the planet - pretty sure a little mud isnt going to hurt her that much. You know, unless it's like... radioactive kryptonian mud." Another pause. "You guys going to apologize like mature adults? Or just deal with it like a couple of guys?" "Well, it's not like I was stopping her from going, I mean, I warned her, she didn't believe me. I went just in case things got out of hand, but--" He stops, messing up his hair. "Going was probably a mistake. Hearing every guy in the room was... rough, and Roy wasn't exactly helping. I... might have thinned out one of his eyebrows when he was staring at her. I will apologize though... the thing with the mud and the eyebrow thing were pretty childish. Should have talked to him about it before hand, let him /know/ I was worried rather than showing up incognito and letting my temper get the best of me." Oracle nods. "I'm human and even I don't get the whole mud wrestling thing. Could have been worse. Could have been jello." She smiles. "And good boy. Give him a little cool-down time then apologize." A pause. "How bad is the eyebrow by the way?" "It's thinned, not gone," Conner says. "He moved after Kara threw Kori at him." Oracle watches that on the computer screen. "Yeah.... watching that part right now. Girl's got some moves on her." She pauses. "Why did Roy not... you know... move out of the way?" Oracle zooms in on the 'Kori's behind in his face' "Never mind I think I figured that mystery out." "He tried to catch her or something," Conner says with a shrug. "Got a bloody nose for his trouble." Oracle winces. "I'd have ducked." She fast forwards. "Starfire seems to have enjoyed it though." She moves to another video. "Hey... that you by the green woman? She-Hulk, they call her?" She shakes her head. "Her cousin - that's something that's going to keep me paranoid." "Yeah, we've met before... hence me trying not to make eye contact," Conner explains. "I'm... well, honestly, I'm not sure how he stacks up to Kryptonians. Probably well out of my league, though. You hear about that big green lizard thing?" Oracle brings up the news report about Godzilla. "Yeah. I perused that. And there's apparently a whole island of them I hear. Oh joy." She leans over. "Not sure about Kryptonians either, but it's pretty good fight against Power Boy when in an enclosed space. Then again I think you guys are usually stronger than New Gods, plus there's a speed thing. Still, the whole 'out of control monster' thing isnt a positive thing. His cousin seems a lot more rational though." She watches as She-Hulk is volunteering to fight the winner. "A bit punchy but rational." "Something about the Godzilla fight freaked her out," he says, and shrugs. "Maybe it was a relative. Big, angry, radioactive. Kind of fits their MO." He sits back, considering. "Okay, what do /you/ think of last night?" he wonders. "Can't really ask Wondergirl, can't as Kal-El, can't ask Diana, Kori... well, it's Kori." Oracle shrugs. "Well I obviously think it's sexist, but it was for charity, and a lot of people seemed to have fun with it. Bit surprised they had Kara do it though, considering her age. My opinion on it doesn't matter much anyway, it's done, no one got hurt. Well except for Roy. It seems all good enough." "See, that was kind of part of my objection, glad it's not just me," Conner says, and looks around. "Anyway, I should probably get going. Nice talking to you. Let me know if I can pay you back for the file use." Oracle smiles and leans back in her chair. "I'll make sure to give you a call if I need something. Take care Superboy." She then switches off the communication array.